AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote today approving a ban on so-called assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips:

“The vote today by the Senate Judiciary Committee to approve a ban on so-called assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips is another misguided and political attempt to restrict the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Senator Dianne Feinstein is wrong to blame guns rather than criminals for the crimes she is trying to correct, and she is wrong to push an agenda that may score points with her California constituents, but will do nothing to make our country safer.

“The constitutional guarantee of self-defense is not intended to be limited by arbitrary political whims. Instead it is a guarantee as fundamental as freedom itself.

“In the event this overreaching bill becomes law, I am prepared to fire back with certain and swift legal action. I will not allow Texans to be disarmed of their Second Amendment rights.”